Curry in a Hurry

One of my greatest joys in life is slow living. Baking from scratch, spending hours cultivating a nutritious and artful meal, going for a leisurely walk with my puppy, sitting around a dinner table hours after everyone has finished eating enjoying each others' company are all activities that make me very happy. However, in our current world, slow living isn't always realistic or attainable. Some nights you just need to throw dinner together in a hurry - and that's okay. However, just because you're short on time doesn't mean you need to be short on nutrition!


In my house, we are big fans of curry, and it always seems like we want curry on the nights we have the least amount of time for dinner. You know the ones. The ones after a super long day, traffic was terrible, had to run errands after work, didn't sleep well last night, sooo tired ones. My solution to this conundrum: Curry in a Hurry. All the curry deliciousness with no hassle and no special, hard-to-find ingredients needed. This recipe, like most of my other recipes, is completely plant-based, free of dairy and gluten, and EASY to make.

If you're looking at this dish and wondering whether or not you're going to be full because there's no meat! Or grains! Allow me ease your worries. Between the chickpeas and the broccoli alone, this vegan dish serves up 15 g of protein and 12 g of fiber per serving, that's 30 g protein and 24 g fiber for the whole dish (based on 7 ounces of broccoli for the whole recipe - you'll probably use more than that)! A lot of people forget the amazing protein power of broccoli. Did you know that broccoli contains more protein per calorie than steak?! It's beautifully true. If you need a refresher on fiber and it's benefits, check out my posts on managing a healthy weight, Part I & Part II.

Curry in a Hurry
By Bailey West, B.S. Nutrition/Dietetics
Serves 2

2 heads broccoli
1 red bell pepper
1 can chickpeas, no salt added
8 oz. mushrooms
2 shallots
1/2 cup coconut cream
1 t coconut oil
1 t curry powder
Dash of cayenne pepper
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste

1. On medium-high heat in a medium saucepan, sauté shallots, bell pepper & mushrooms in coconut oil until the vegetables are broken down and tender. Add broccoli & spices and cook for about 2 minutes with no lid.

2. Add chickpeas and coconut cream; stir well. Cover with a tight fitting lid and reduce heat to simmer. Let simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Let cool to desired temperature and enjoy!